What Are Virtual Fitness Challenges (and Why You Should Do One!)

Whether your gym has been closed due to COVID-19 restrictions in the past 18 months or you just can’t fit it into your monthly budget, finding a way to stay active without access to equipment is a must. A virtual fitness challenge is one way to make this happen. These challenges encourage participants to incorporate movement into their daily life, maintain motivation, and reach a personal fitness goal. Let’s delve deep into what virtual fitness challenges look like and why you should do one.

What is a Virtual Fitness Challenge?

A virtual fitness challenge typically involves a fitness goal that you attempt to meet in a restricted period. It may include activities like running, cycling, or walking a certain distance in a set time. Often, virtual fitness challenges will incorporate some sort of small reward system to help motivate people to complete a challenge. This helps to keep their participants engaged throughout its duration.

What Types of Virtual Fitness Challenges Exist?

Virtual fitness challenges take on numerous forms. If you’re not a fan of running but you love yoga, then there’s a virtual fitness challenge for you. Here’s a quick list of just some of the fitness challenges available for you right at home.

• Running challenges
• 5K a day challenge
• Trail running challenge
• X-number of miles per day, month, or year
• Cycling challenges
• X-number of miles per day, month, or year
• Walking challenges
• X-number of miles per day, month, or year

Why Should You Do a Virtual Fitness Challenge?

A virtual fitness challenge has numerous benefits, and it may fit your lifestyle better than a regular gym routine. Here are a few of the benefits that you should keep in mind when deciding whether to join a fitness challenge.

1. A fitness challenge allows you to go at your own pace
   While virtual fitness challenges often lay out goals that you should aim to complete in a certain span of time, one of its major benefits is that participants can go at their own pace. Regardless of your ability, you can adapt the challenge to your own needs. For example, if the challenge is related to running, you may choose to jog or walk some portion of the challenge if it is better aligned with your fitness level.
2. A fitness challenge can be done anytime and anywhere
   Participants in a virtual fitness challenge can join from all over the world. During the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual fitness challenges became especially popular because they weren’t restrictive. Regardless of where you lived or your time zone, you can join a community of members who also care about getting and staying active in your chosen form of exercise.
3. A fitness challenge is convenient
   Do you find it difficult to fit exercise into your daily routine? Unlike going to a gym or workout class, a virtual fitness challenge allows you to schedule your exercise whenever it’s most convenient to you. Whether you like working out in the morning or at night, you’re able to do it whenever is most suitable to your routine.
4. A fitness challenge encourages movement and exercise
   Regular movement and exercise are how you maintain your physical and mental health. Engaging in a virtual fitness challenge can help participants remember to move every day and maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle.
5. A fitness challenge maintains motivation at home
   Some people aren’t able to maintain fitness motivation while at home. They wake up and can’t seem to get to bring themselves to go for a run, get to the gym, or exercise in any capacity. If this happens to you, you may find yourself lapsing in your workout for two months. What then?

A fitness challenge may be a helpful next step because it sets out an exercise timeline for you to stick to. You’ll have a reason to exercise because you’ve signed onto a challenge along with other people in a community. A challenge maintains member engagement in fun ways regardless of your location.

Final Thoughts

Virtual fitness challenges strive to keep members motivated, fit, and healthy, especially during a difficult time. If you’ve seen your health and fitness decline over the last year. You’re not alone! Joining a virtual fitness challenge can help you improve your health in a variety of ways.

To learn more about the virtual fitness challenges available to you, visit Conquest Challenges. You can run, cycle, and walk to stay motivated and focused on your personal fitness journey. Participants receive postcards and plant real trees throughout the challenge, ending in a digital finishers certificate and (optional) medal — you’ll always have someone cheering you on!